History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.42

v3.c40.42

'When there was a row of diners, all were to be served the same food and no difference was to be made between one man and another and if a difference were made a penance was prescribed as if he had committed brāhmaṇa murder.¹⁸³⁹ If while dining one brāhmaṇa touches another, he should give up eating or after finishing his meal he should mutter the Gāyatrī verse 108 times (as penance). In modern times generally the eyes are touched with water if this happens. If a diner touched a server who had a vessel containing food, the server should place the vessel containing food on the ground, should perform ācamana, the food in the vessel should have water sprinkled over it and then it may be served. One was not to eat or drink with the left hand. One should drink water at the time of meals with a drinking bowl or vessel, one should never drink water with the two hands joined together (Yāj. I. 138), but when not eating food one may drink water with the bare right hand. After finishing one's meal one is to repeat the āpośana 'amṛtāpidhānam-asi' and drink some water, wash one's hands, sip water twice and may lightly brush his teeth for removing particles of food, then sip water again and take tāmbūla.¹⁸⁴⁰ Āśvalāyana (in verse) recommends 16 mouthfuls of water (gaṇḍūṣa) for cleansing the mouth after dinner (Āhn. Pr. p. 483). An ascetic, a Vedic student and a widow were not to partake of tāmbūla.